Bill Ackman

William Albert Ackman, the son of a mortgage financier and a top New York executive, was born on May 11, 1966.

Bill Ackman began his career in real estate investment banking at Ackman Brothers & Singer, Inc. in 1980.

Bill Ackman graduated magna cum laude from Harvard University in 1988. He later pursued his MBA from Harvard as well.

Bill Ackman successfully predicted the collapse of the junk bond market in 1989 while working as an analyst, which later led to the founding of Gotham Partners in 1992.

In 1992, Bill Ackman graduated with an MBA degree. He is a prominent figure in the business world known for his activism and investments.

Before Pershing Square, Bill Ackman co-founded Gotham Partners Management Co., LLC in 1993. The investment adviser managed public and private equity hedge fund portfolios.

Bill Ackman, the American investor, married landscape architect Karen Ann Herskovitz on July 10, 1994.

Bill Ackman has made moves in the financial market that have earned him a billion dollars, showcasing his skill as an investor.

Pershing Square Capital Management LP (PSCM) is an independent investment advisor and hedge fund manager founded in 2003 by William Ackman and David Berkowitz.

In 2004, Bill Ackman founded Pershing Square Capital Management, a long/short value hedge fund with $54 million assets under management.

In 2006, Bill Ackman took an activist position in the now-defunct Borders Group by acquiring a stake in the bookseller and increasing his holdings in 2008. He entered into loan agreements as Borders attempted to find a buyer, but his $960 million financing pledge for Borders to acquire Barnes & Noble Inc. did not materialize. Borders eventually filed for bankruptcy in 2011, resulting in significant losses for Pershing Square.

In the fall of 2008, during the global financial crisis, Bill Ackman's persistent efforts to convince others about the vulnerability of MBIA, a bond insurer, finally paid off as the company spiraled downward. Ackman's bets against MBIA were vindicated, leading to his success.

In 2013, activist investor Bill Ackman, the founder of Pershing Square Capital Management, made headlines for his significant short position on Herbalife, a company specializing in weight loss and nutritional supplements.

On April 14, 2014, The Pershing Square Foundation awarded $17 million to Harvard University. This generous donation was a significant contribution to the institution.

Herbalife's stock prices fell nearly 50% from their peak, following various controversies and investigations surrounding the company.

Prosecutors and the FBI investigated whether individuals hired by Ackman made false statements to lower Herbalife's stock price.

On December 22, 2016, it was reported that Bill Ackman and Karen Ann Herskovitz had separated.

Pershing Square, led by Bill Ackman, sold its entire stake in troubled pharmaceutical company Valeant, incurring a loss of over $3 billion. This decision came after Valeant faced accusations of fraud and other challenges.

As of February 28, 2018, Bill Ackman reportedly closed his entire short bet on Herbalife, after facing significant borrowing fees and paper losses due to the company's resilience and rebound to pre-short levels.

As of September 30, 2018, Pershing Square Holdings, led by Bill Ackman, posted a year-to-date return of 15.8%, showing a decline in performance due to various setbacks like the Valeant Pharmaceuticals and Herbalife controversies.

Zaw Thiha Tun, an investment advisor for PI Financial Corp and a freelance financial writer, discusses Bill Ackman's greatest successes and failures in the financial world.

In an emotional interview, Ackman urged President Trump for a 30-day shutdown to combat the spread of coronavirus and its economic impact.

Ackman donated 26.5 million shares in Coupang, valued at $1.36 billion, to charitable entities in March 2021.

A biography of Bill Ackman, focusing on his investment style, was published on July 10, 2021 by journalist Edgar Mondragón Tenorio.

Bill Ackman takes on the role of Director/Board Member at Universal Music Group N.V., a major player in the music industry.

Bill Ackman appoints Ryan Israel as the investment chief at Pershing Square, a significant move in the investment management sector.

Bill Ackman assumes the role of Chairman at Howard Hughes Holdings Inc., a real estate development and management company.

William Ackman, co-investment manager for hedge-fund group Gotham Partners LP, established Pershing Square in November 2003 with initial funding of $54 million from three investors. Ackman transitioned from the real estate sector to finance before founding Gotham.

Allegations of plagiarism surfaced regarding Ackman's wife's dissertation, leading to a pledge for a plagiarism review at MIT.

Pershing Square Capital Management, L.P. disclosed 8 total holdings in their recent 13F filing with the SEC as of December 31, 2023. The portfolio's total value is reported at $10.40 billion with a turnover rate of 2%.

Readers discuss the case of Bill Ackman, a financial-advice columnist who was deceived by a sophisticated scam.